Apparatus for controlling railway switches



June 8, 1937. H. s. YOUNG ET Al. 2,082,931

APPARATUS Fon coNTRoLMNG RAILWAY swITcHEs original Filed Dec. 1o, 1955THEIR ATTORNEY Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED Stars4 PATE T oFFiF. i

aosassi APPAnATUs ron ooN'rnoLLiNGRAILWAY SWITCHES Original applicationDecember 10, 1935, Serial 53,774. Divided and this application October31,1336, Serial No. 108,646

4 claims. 01. 24e- 3) Our invention reiatesr to apparatus for con#trolling railway switches, and particularly to ap# para-tus for normallycontrolling a switch from'a remote point, but for `at times modifyingsuch control in accordance with traic conditions adjacent the switch.

Apparatus embodying our invention is particularly suitable for,ialthoughin no way limited to, the control of railway switches which are arloranged to be operated by means of the switch operating mechanismdescribed and `claimed in an application for Letters Patent/'of theUnited States, Serial No. 40,606, led by Herbert L. Bone, on Septemberlli, 1935, for Railway switch operating apparatus.

The present application is a division of our copending application,Serial No. 53,774, filed on December 10, 1935, for Apparatus for controlling railway switches. l A We will describe two forms of apparatusembodying our invention, and will then point out the novel featuresthereof inv claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. '1 isa diagrammatic view showing oneform of apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a` view similar toFig. 1 showing another orm` of apparatus embodying our invention.

Similar reference characters refer to Asimilar parts in both views. l fReferring rst to Fig. l, the reference characters i and la designatetheV track rails of a stretch A of railway track, the one rail l ofwhichis divided by means of insulated joints 2 to form a track section B-C.Located in section B-C is a switch E which connects the stretch A with astretch of track F. The switch E is operated by a suitable switchmechanism M, which mechanism, as here shown,` is of the electropneumatictype having included therein suitable biasing means for biasing theswitch to its nearest extreme position whereby, when the switch is movedto either extreme position, it will be yieldably held in such extremeposition even though 'the supply of iuid to the operating motor of `themechanism is then out off. `The mechanism M is provided with the usualnormal magnet N and reverse magnetA R, it being understood that theSwitch may be moved from its normal position to its reverse position byenergizing 'the reverse magnet R, and from its reverse position to itsnormal position byenergizing the normal magnet N. One form 01' mechanismwhich will operate in the manner just described is shown and describedin an application for Letters Patent of the United States,rSerial No.vli0,606, iiled 'by Herbert L. Bone, onSeptember 14, 1935, for Railwayswitch operating apparatus.

operatively connected* withthe switch E is a circuit controller G1comprising three movable contact lingers 45, 5, and 6 which cooperaterespectively with fixed contact fingers 45a 45h, 5a 5b, and EfL 6b, toform conta-cts 'i5-445% ll5-JW), 5--5a, 5-50, S-B, and llt-6b. Contacts5--45ab and 6--6a are closed when and only when switch E occupies itsfull normal position; contacts i5 i511 and 5 5b are closed when and onlywhen switch E occupies its full reverse position; contact 5 5a is closedwhen switch E occupies any position but its full reverse position; andcontact'Ei--Bb is closed when switch E occupies any position but itsfull normal position.

The apparatus also includes a manually operable'lever'L, a track relayD, two indication lamps Hl and H2, two resistors J1 and J2, and abattery K.- The function o'f the lamps H1 and H2 and resistors Jland J2Will become apparent as the description proceeds.

` The lever L will usually be located at a point remote from the switchand, Vas here shown, is capable of assuming a normal position n and areverse position r. operatively connected with the'lever L is a contactarrny which cooperates withtwo fixed contacts l and 'lr to close anormal contact 'llor a reverse contact l-"lf according as lever Loccupies its n or its r position. Also operatively connected with`thelever L is a contactarm 2l which similarly cooperates with two 'fixedcontacts 2in and 2 if to close a normal contact 2|--2ln or a reversecontact 2l-2I1' according as lever L occupies itsu or its T position.

Relay D is controlled jointly by the lever L and by the circuitcontroller G in such manner that one pickup circuitfor this relay willbe closed whenand only when the switch and lever both occupy theirnormal positions, and that another pickup circuit for this relay will beclosed when and only when the switch and lever both occupy theirreversepositions. Thepickup circuit for relay D which is closed when andonly when the Vswitch and lever both occupy their normal positionspasses from a track battery 3 through rail la, wires 56 and 5l, contacti5-45a of circuit controller G, line wire 58, contact 2li-2l of lever L,wires 59 and Sil, the winding of relay D, wire 6l, and rail l back tobattery 3. The other pickup circuit for relay D passes from battery 3through rail la, wires 56 and 51, contact 45- 45h of circuit'c'ontrollerG, line Wire 62, contact :Eill of lever L, wires 59 and 5G, the windingof relay D, wire 6|, and rail l back to battery 3L Relay D is furtherprovided with a stick circuit Ywhich passes from battery 3 through railI2, wire 55, front contact 63 of relay D, wire 60, the winding of relayD, wire IiI, and rail I to battery 3.

It will be seen, therefore, that when relay D is once picked up, it willremain picked up .by virtue of its stick circuit until a train enterssection B--Cnvhereupon this relay will then become deenergized. .It willalso be seen that, when relay D docs become deenergized due to a trainentering section B-C, this relay will subsequently remain deenergizeduntil the train leaves the section and lever' L is moved to the positioncorresponding to the position which the switch then occupies.

The lever L and relay D jointly control the magnet valves N and R of theswitch mechanism M in a manner which will become apparent from thefollowing description of the operation of the apparatus as a whole.

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in their normal positions. Thatis to say, lever L and switch E both occupy their normal positions, andsection B-C is unoccupied by a train. Under theseconditions, magnets Nand Rare both deenergized and lamp H2 is also deenergized. Lamp H1,however, is lighted over a normal indication circuit which passes frombattery K through wire 9, contact `I`In of lever L, the filament of lampH1 connected in parallel with resistor J1, front contact IIJ of VrelayD, contact 6 6a of circuit controller G, and wires II and I2 back tobattery K.

We will now assume that the parts are in the `To do this, lever L ismoved from its normal position n to its reverse position 1*, thusopening contacts I-Tn and 2I-2In and closing contacts 'I-"Ir and 2 I-2If. The opening of. contact 'I--'In interrupts the circuitwhich waspreviously closed for the indication lamp H1 so that this lamp nowbecomes extinguished, while the opening of the contact 2I--2Ininterrupts the pickup circuit which was previously closed for relay D atthis contact. Relay D will remain energized Vunder these conditions,however, by virtue of. its stick circuit. Theclosing of contact YIY-"Irrcompletes a normal control circuit for the reverse magnet R whichcircuit'passes from battery K through wire 9contact'fI-'Ir of lever L,lamp H2 con- Y nected in parallel with resistor J2, front contact I3 ofrelay D, contact 5--5-ofcircuit controller G, wire I4, the winding ofmagnet R, and wires II and i2 back to battery K. `The reverse magnet R,therefore, becomesenergized and. causes the switch E to move to itsreverse position. When the switch reaches its reverse position, contactV5fL of circuit controller G becomes opened and contact'E--Sb becomesclosed. 'I'he opening of contact 5-52 interrupts the circuit which waspreviously closed for magnetR, Whereupon'this magnet becomes deenergizedand-cuts oi the supply of Vfluid pressure to the switch operatingmechanism M. The closing of Vcontact 5-5b of circuit controller Gcompletes a reverse indication circuit including lamp H2, which circuitmay be traced from battery K through wire 9, contact 'I-'If of lever L,the-filament of lamp .H2 connected in multiple with resistor J2, frontcontact I3 of track relay D,contact 5-5b of circuit controller'G, andwire I2 back to battery i The indication lamp H2, therefore, becomeslighted to indicatefthat the switch occupies its full reverse position.The movement. of the switch to its reverse position also opens contact45--452 of circuit controller G and closes contact 4545b. When contact45-4511 becomes closed, it will complete the pickup circuit for relay Dincluding this contact, but since this relay is already energized byvirtue of its stick circuit, the closing of this pickup circuit willhave no eiect on the remainder of the apparatus.

It should be pointed out that while the circuit over which the reversemagnet R becomes energized during movement of the switch to its reverseposition under the conditions just described includes lamp H2 connectedin multiple with resistor J2,'the lamp H2 will not become lighted underthese conditions because the resistance of the reverse magnet R is toohigh to permit sufficient current to flow in the lamp. The function ofthe resistor J2 is to prevent the operator from losing control of theswitch in the event that the lamp H2 burns out. It should also bepointed out that if, when the switch occupies its reverse position, itshould creep away from this position for any reason due, for example, tomisadjustment of the biasing means of the mechanism M, contact 5 5a willbecome closed and will reestablish the circuit previously traced for thereverse magnet R, thus causing the switch to be immediately restored toits reverse position.

When the switch has been moved to its reverse position in the mannerjust described and it is desired to restore it to its normal position,lever L is restored to its normal position. Under these conditions, assoon as the lever is moved away from its reverse position, the reverseindication circuit becomes interrupted at contact 'I-'Ir of lever L,thus causing lamp H2 to become eX- tinguished, and when the leverreaches its normal position, the resultant closing of contact 1 1 oflever L completes a normal control circuit for the normal magnet Npassing from bat- .tery K through wire 9, contact I-'In of lever L,

the filament of lamp H1 connected in multiple with resistor J1, frontcontact Ill of track relay D, contact G-Sb of circuit controller G, thewinding of normal magnet N, and wires II and I2 back to battery K. Thenormal magnet N, therefore, becomes Venergized and causes the switch tomove to its normal position. When the switch reaches its full normalposition, contact -Bb of 'circuit controller G opens and deenergizesmagnet N, and contact S-Sa of circuit controller Gcloses and completesthe previously described indication circuit for lamp H1. Lamp H1 thenbecomes lighted to indicate that the switch occupies its full normalposition. The movement of the switch to its full normal position alsoreestablishes the pickup circuit for relay D includingcontact-fl ofcircuit controller G.

- It should be pointed out that while the circuit over which the normalmagnet N becomes energized during the movement of the switch to itsnormal position under the conditions just described includes lamp H1 andresistor J1 conneoted in multiple, lamp H1 will not become lightedbecause the resistance of the normal magnet is too high topermitsulicient current to ilow in the lamp H1. It should also bepointed out that the function of the resistor J1 is to prevent theoperator from losing control ofthe switch in the event that the .lamp H1burns out. It should further be pointed out that if, when the switchoccupies its normal position, the switch should creep away from thisposition for any reason, the resultant closing of contact `indicationcircuits. 4rIhe interruptionof thelindication circuit for lamp H1 willcause this lamp to become extinguished Vso thatboth lamps H1A and H2will then be extinguished. The engagement of the train wheels Withtheswitch points will move the switch points toward their reversepositions, and during the first half of this movement the biasing meanswill exert a force on the switch points which opposes their movement.However, as soon as the switch points pass their mid stroke positions,the biasing means will then become eifective to aid the movement of theswitch points, and will thus cause the switch points to move to theirfull reverse positions with4 a snap action. When the train which hasjust trailed the switch departs from section B-C, the train shuntwhichcaused relay D to become deenergized will be removed, but relay Dwill remain deenergized until lever L is moved to the positioncorresponding to the new position of the switch, and as long as relay Dremains deenergized, both lamps H1 and H2 will remain extinguished, andthe switch will remain in its reverse position. It follows, therefore,that, if the operator now wishes to regain control of the switch, itwill be necessary for him to move lever L to its reverse position. Assoon as he does this, the pickup circuit for relay D including reversecontact 2I--2Ir of lever L and contact lili- 45b of circuit controller Gwill become closed, and relay D will then pick up and close its stickcircuit. The picking up of relay D will also complete the reverseindication circuit for lamp H2, and this lamp will, therefore, becomelighted to indicate that the switch and lever now both occupy theirreverse positions. After relay D has once picked up, if the operatorthen wishes to restore the switch to its normal position, he may do soby restoring lever L to its normal position. The operation of theapparatus under these conditions is identical with that which hasalready been described and need not, therefore, be repeated here. v i

When the switch occupies its reverse position and a train trails theswitch, the operation of the apparatus will be similar to that justdescribed when the switch occupies its normal position and a traintrails the switch. It is believed, therefore, that this latter operationwill be apparent from an inspection of the drawingl without furtherdescription.

Referring now to Fig. 2, we have here shown another form of apparatusfor accomplishing the same results as are accomplished by means of theapparatus shown in Fig. 1, but which introduces less resistance in thepickup circuit for the track relay. As here shown, the track relay D iscontrolled by a relay P which latter relay, in turn, is controlledjointly by the lever L and the circuit controller G. RelayP is providedwith one pickup circuit which is closed when and only when lever L and`switch E both occupy theiry normal positions, and which passes frombattery K through wires 64 and 65, contact 45-45a of circuit controllerG, wire 66, the winding of relay P, wire 6l, contact 2l--2If1 of leverL, and wire 68 back to battery K. Relay P is also provided with anotherpickup circuit which is closed when and only when lever L and switch Eboth occupy their reverse positions, and which passes from battery Kthrough wires 64 and 69, contact 2I---2Ir of lever L, wire 61, thewinding of relay P, wire 66, contact l5-45h of circuit controller G, andwires 'IB and 68 back to battery K. It will be apparent, therefore, thatwith the apparatus constructed as shown in Fig. 2, relay P will beenergized when and only when the switch and lever both occupycorresponding extreme positions.

rRelay D is'provided with a pickup circuit which isfclosed when and onlywhen relay P isenergized, and which passes from battery 3 through railla, wires 5B and 1|, front contact l2 of relay P, wires 'Hand 60, thewinding of relay D, wire 6I, and rail I to battery 3. Relay D is alsoprovided with a stick circuit which is identical with the stick circuitpreviously traced in connection with Fig. l.

It will be apparent. therefore, that withthe apparatus constructed asshown in Fig. 2 whenever relay D has once been energized, it willsubsequently remain energized until a train enters section B-C whereuponthis relay will then become deenergized. It will also become apparentthat, when this relay once becomes deenergized, it will subsequentlyremain deenergized until the train departs from section B-C, whereuponthis relay will then become energized if relay P is energized, whichlatter relay, as pointed out hereinbefore, will be energized if and onlyif the switch and lever occupy corresponding extreme positions.

The remainder of the apparatus `shown in Fig. l is similar to that shownin Fig. 2 and nee-d not, therefore, be described further.

It will be seen from the foregoing that we have provided means forcontrolling the switch mechanism M in such manner that, if the switch istrailed, it will remain in its trailed position until the control leveris moved to a position corresponding with the new position of the switchafter which the switch may be restored to its original position byrestoring the control lever to its original position.

Although we have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatusfor controlling railway switches embodying our invention, it isunderstood that various changes and modications may be made thereinwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we Y claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a railwayswitch havinginormal and reverse positions, a switch operating mechanismoperatively connected with said switch, said switch operating mechanismbeing provided with means for biasing the switch to its nearest extremeposition and with a normal and a reverse magnet and being effective formoving the switch to its normal position or its reverse positionaccording as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a manuallyoperable lever having normal and reverse positions and provided withnormal and reverse contacts, a circuit controller operatively connectedwith said switch, said circuit controller being provided with a firstcontact contact which is closed Vwhen and only whenthe switch occupiesits reverse position, with a fifth contact which is vclosed when andonly when l the switchpccupies its normal position, and

witha sixth contact which is closed when and only when theswitcl'rvoccupiesv its reverse position, a track section`fcrmed in saidstretch and Vextending in-oppositek directions from said switch,

15 a track relay, a firstpickupcircuit for said track relay includingthe rails of said track section, a normal contact of said lever and saidfifth con- `tact of saidcircuit controller, alsecond-pickup circuit forsaid trackvrelay including the rails of 20 said track section, a reversecontact vof said lever, and said `sixth contact of said circuitcontroller; a stick Vcircuit for said trackirelay including its ownfront contact and the rails Vof` said section; two' indication lamps, acircuit for the 25 normal magnet including a normal Vcontact of saidlever, one Yof said indication lamps, a first front contact of saidtrackrelay, and said first contact of said circuit controller, a circuitforthe reverse magnet including a reverse contact of said V30 lever, theother indication lamp, a second front contact of said relay,V and saidsecond contact of said circuit controller; a normal lindication circuitincluding a normal contact of said lever, said one indication lamp, saidrst front con- 35 tact of Vsaid 'track relay, andY said third contact ofsaid circuit controller, and a reverse indication circuit including areverse contact of said lever, said other indication lamp, said second Yfront contact of said relay, and sai-d fourth contact Y of said circuitcontroller.

2. Incombination, a' stretch of railway track provided with a railwayswitch having normal and reverse positions, a switch operating mechanismoperatively connected with said switch, said switch operating'mechanismbeing provided with means for biasing'the switch to its nearest eX-treme position and with a normal and a reverse magnet and beingeffective for moving the switch to its normal position or Vits reverseposition according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, amanually operable lever having normal and reverse positions andVprovided with normal and reverse contacts, Ya circuit controlleroperatively connected with said switch, said cir- 55 cuit controllerbeing providedwith a iirst contact whichVV is closed when the switchoccupies any positionbut its normal position, with a second contactwhich is closed when the switch occupies any position but its reverseposition, with a third contact which is closed when and only when theswitch occupies its normal position, with a fourth contact which isclosed when and only when the switch occupiesits-reverse position, atrack section formed in said stretch and extending inop- -65 positedirections from said switch, a track relay,

Y fourth contact ofsaid circuit controller; -a stick circuit for saidtrack relay including `its own front contact and the rails of saidsection; a cir- 75 cuitifor the normal magnet includin'g'a normalcontact of said lever, .a rst'front contact of said trackl relay, andsaid rst contact of said circuit controller; and a circuit for thereverse magnet including a reverse contact of said lever, a second frontcontact oi said track relay, and said second contact of said circuitcontroller.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a railwayVswitch having normal and reverse positions, a switch operatingmechanism operatively connected with said switch,

' said switch operating mechanism being provided with means for biasingthe switch .to its nearest extreme position andv with a normal and areverse magnet and being :effective for moving the switch to its normalposition or its reverse position ,according as said normal or saidreverse magnet is energized, a manually operable lever having normal andreverse positions and provided with normal and'- reverse contacts, acircuit controller operatively connected with said switch, said; circuitcontroller being providedV with a first contact which isA closed whenthe switch occupies any position but its normal position, with a secondcontactv which is closed when the switch occupies any-position but itsreverse position, with `a third contact whichy is closed when and onlywhen the switch occupies its normal position, with a fourthv contactwhich is closed When and only when the switch occupies its reverseposition, avtrack section formed in said stretch and extending inopposite directions from said switch, a'track relay, a second relay, apickup circuit for said track relay including the rails of said sectionand a front contact of said second relay,a stick circuit for said trackrelay including its own front contact and the rails of said section, afirst pickup circuit for said second relay including a first normalcontact of said lever and said third contact of said circuit controller;a second pickup circuit for said second relay including a first reversecontact of said lever and said fourth contact of said circuitcontroller; a circuit for the normal magnet including a sccond normalcontact of said lever, a first front contact of said track relay, andsaid first contact of said circuit controller, and a circuit forAthereverseV magnet including a second reverse contact of said lever,asecond front contact of said track relay, and said second contact ofsaid circuit controller.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a railwayswitch having normal and reverse positions, a switch operating mechanismoperatively connected with said switch, said switch operatingA mechanismbeing provided with means for biasing the switch to its nearest extremeposition and with a normal and a reverse magnet and being effective formoving the switch to its normal position or its reverse positionaccording as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a manuallyoperable lever having normal and reverse positions and provided withnormal and reverse contacts, Va circuit controller operatively connectedwith said switch, said' circuit controller being provided with a firstcontact which is closed lwhen the switch occupies anyv position but itsnormal position, with a second contact which is closed when the switchoccupies any position but its reverse position, with va third contactwhich is closed when and only when the switch occupies its normalposition, with a fourth contact which is closed when and only when theswitch occupies its reverse position, with a` fifth contactV which isclosed when and onlyrwhen the switch occupies its normal position, andwith a sixth Contact which is closed when and only when the switchoccupies its reverse position, a track section formed in said stretchand extending in opposite directions from said switch, a track relay, asecond relay, a pickup circuit for said track relay including the railsof said section and a front contact ofV said second relay, a stickcircuit for said track relay including its own front contact and therails of said section, `a first pickup circuit for said second relayincluding a first normal contact of said lever and said third contact ofsaid circuit con troller, a second pickup circuit for said second relayincluding a rst reverse contact of said 15 lever and said fourth contactof said circuit cona rst front Contact of said track relay, and said rstcontact of said circuit controller, a circuit for the reverse magnetincluding a second re- Verse contact of said lever, the other indicationlamp, a second front contact of said relay, and said second contact ofsaid `circuit controller; a normal indication circuit including saidsecond normal contact of said lever, said one indication lamp, saidfirst front contact of said trackrelay, and said fifth Vcontact of saidcircuit controller; and a reverse indication circuit including saidsecond reverse contact of said lever, said other

